Design and evaluation of an e-governance ICT solution to empower the non-literate vegetable market consumers

E-governance services often remain inaccessible to non-literate populations worldwide. This study proposes and evaluates an e-governance solution for non-literate users. The solution is designed to identify price discrepancies between government-regulated rates and actual market prices for fruits and vegetables. The system features a user-friendly interface that enables non-literate consumers to lodge complaints and track their resolution, thereby enhancing empowerment. Usability was assessed using ISO Standard 9241-11, comparing the effectiveness and efficiency of non-literate participants with a literate benchmark, assuming optimal interface use by the latter. Although non-literate participants did not achieve the literate benchmarkís performance, the differences were minimal. These findings support the adoption of the proposed solution and its core design elements such as customized icons and local-language audio instructions in future e-governance initiatives targeting non-literate populations.